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This new year many Japanese visited the shrine partly for tradition, partly for the social atmosphere, and partly to receive providence whether it was buying a lucky charm, getting fortune tickets or praying “for the providence of a nameless god.
Around the world this is
a common element
of many religions, this reward driven religion and sadly enough it may
no
certainly is present in some that say they follow Christ. Yes even the
church
has this element in it but the Bible does not. They seek God’s hand but
not
God, they do not seek his face. Last year I told you about seeking
heaven, A
friend of mine the other week reminded me of this very important point,
He
asked me what my image of Heaven was. He had been having a conversation
with
his girlfriend on the subject. My answer was no less confusing I feel.
I simply
said that I’m sure Heaven is filled with indescribable glory but I
didn’t care.
What do you mean he asked. I mean the only thing I will see in Heaven
the only
thing I seek is the indescribable Glory that is God alone all else
pales in
comparison. The bible says that in heaven we won’t recognize our
brother, our
sister, our husband, wife, mother, father. A sad thought it seems to go
against
a lot of the incorrect dreamy teaching of heaven. They will be there
but we won’t
care because the only thing we want to see is God, the trinity combined
in one,
All else fades into inexistence. We focus on him and all else loses
focus. In
fact this is the only way we we can get to Heaven, If we seek heaven we
get nothing,
But if we seek God ( the
Now for today’s main scripture:
This is the generation that seeks His face.
Have you ever considered what you will find if you but seek his face.
If you believe that the world’s problems are physical then you will seek a physical answer, if you believe it is spiritual you will seek a spiritual answer. I believe it IS spiritual, this disconnect with truth with love, with ,justice, with mercy, with patience, with each other is really just a symptom of our disconnect with God.
The bible declares that exercise profits the body, education improves the mind but these are but superficial changes when related to the true question of the condition of the human heart and what saves the soul. Nothing outside work on the human heart it must be tackled from someone within with the expertise to do the job. Who better than the Creator himself. God will change us because he is a covenant God who has promised us to reflect His glory through the life giving power of His Word. He is giving people a heart attack; changing from the inside out.
We are a generation that can change and bring the world to Christ if we seek his face,. If you do this you will run headlong into His wonder-making presence and through this your relationship with Him, with yourself, with others will all improve.
John says look to God for your salvation
Look to me and be saved all the ends of the earth for I am God, there is no other
Therefore I will look to the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me
For the son of man has come to seek and save that which is lost.
Just
as Moses lifted up
the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
that
everyone who
believes in him may have eternal life.
Jesus is quoting an Old Testament story that was an actual historical event. Remember in the Old Testament when the Israelites were complaining and the fiery serpent came and God instructed them to put one of them up on a pole and when they would look to the pole in faith they would live. Jesus picks up from here in verse 3:14 and he was; AT CALVARY, so just like the serpent on the pole in the Old Testament and it was faith in what could be done by looking at the serpent that those people lived, it is faith in what can be done by looking to Jesus that brings life to us today. So our resolution for this year must be to look to Jesus and God for salvation. Jesus said “He who hears my word and believes in Him who sent me shall not come into judgment/ condemnation but is to pass from death to life. Jesus, the face of God, If we seek diligently this is our promise.
Throughout history people
have been
captivated with seeing God face to face. Can you imagine what it would
be like?
Just take a moment and ponder, seek his face. When Moses was leading
the
children of
Abraham, the friend of
God talked with God
about the judgment that was about to come on
You all know the story of Jacob who wrestled hand to hand and face to face with an angel all night. But, it was no ordinary angel, it was God Himself. And the almighty blessed Jacob before He departed from him.
Again John says Look to God for our salvation
God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him
Diligence is not just a casual glance, a look over the shoulder it is so much more. It means steadfast and focused interest with a willingness to push everything else aside and seek after something that means more to you than anything else.
Psalm 24 says we should seek His face not his hand arm feet body. The reason this is so important is because many come to God only thinking about what God can do for them rather than seeking God because of who He is.
What parent would want their child to talk to you only when they wanted something from you? Parents want there children to have nice things and sacrifice for them to have them. But what kind of a relationship would it be if they only approached you to ask you for something else they wanted. It would be a mighty shallow one and we must examine ourselves one this point. All parents long for so much more and so do the children. In this same way God is pleased when we seek His face when seeing Him is reward enough. With this attitude He will reward a long as we simply seek to approach him be with Him. No agenda other than to love and worship Him to adore Him And even without requesting he will grant us that which is in our hearts.
When we seek His face there are 4 things we will find
His Lips, His Breath, His Eyes His Smile.
His Lips representing his word, His breath the Holy Spirit, His eyes His protection, His smile His favor
The first thing we seek is His word, The word of God is a light in the darkness, it is food for the hungry soul, it is water for the parched heart, it is guidance when nothing around you looks familiar, it refreshes the weary , heals the afflicted and encourages those without hope.
For they (God’s words) are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh.
Finding involves seeking, God doesn’t have to reveal to or reward those simple passing by without looking for Him ( He does this out of mercy) but for those searching with an upright heart He promises so much more. He will never disappoint these.
Your words were found and I did eat them. Now Jeremiah did not literally eat the scrolls on which the words were rather he consumed them with a vigor and hunger. He diligently sought and took it in.
I have esteemed the words of His word more than my necessary food
I shall not live by bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
His Breath
His Holy Spirit
Remember when God created man, he breathed into the nostrils, the breath of life and man became a living soul. The breath of God represents His Spirit, His essence, it is what we need to find further revelation in the word, the spirit of truth, without the operation of the Holy Spirit the word of God is nothing more than ink on a page it is the breath that brings the Word to life. For those who seek His face they will find and be lead by the Holy Spirit and guided into all truth. Remember the Holy Spirit is not just a little third rate entity but it is God Himself. For those born again the Holy spirit resides with them inside them. The transformation of the Apostles reveals your own personal transformation if you seek His face. Certain Brave, powerful, enlightened transformed from timid to triumphant
Then
you will know that I
am in
28 'And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on
all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will
dream
dreams, your young men will see visions.
29 Even on my servants, both men and women, I
will pour out my Spirit in those days.
This
is available to all
that seek His face
When we seek his face we seek His protection. We put our lives into his hands knowing that He lovingly watches over all of us; this is part of His omnipresent, omniscient manner. We know that he will always take care of us, always protect us always send his angels to watch over us always comfort us. We have an ease about life when we look to His Face because we see His eyes following us wherever we go.
Psalm91:11-16
11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
His Smile
His Favor. Every time you approach God in faith his favor will open doors for you it will present opportunities for you. It will remove mountains if you are diligently seeking His face. We receive this blessing so we can be a blessing to others, our true smile comes as a reflection of his and we pass it on to others. Isn’t it amazing how a smile can be contagious? We receive blessing so that God may be glorified and that we may point to him with a grateful heart.
Can you see them, Can you see hips lips, Can you feel his breath, do you feel comfort in his eyes and Can you see His love and favor for you in His smile?
